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Nov 30, 2012

They look great, print great and have great promotional videos. Objet printer price? Starting at very affordable 16900 euro WITHOUT local taxes, shipping, VAT and other fees. They are highly mobile with 93kg (183 lbs). Users will have to purchase strong desks for them. I wonder what is the price of printing materials ... Anyway, I still wont one. Big pro players need to get those prices way, way down ... Hopefully, those expiring powder printing patents will do that from next year ...

This project describes a design study for a core module on a NASA Lunar South Pole outpost, constructed by 3D printing technology with the use of in-situ resources and equipped with a bio-regenerative life support system. The module would be a hybrid of deployable (CLASS II) and in-situ built (CLASS III) structures. It would combine deployable membrane structures and pre-integrated rigid elements with a sintered regolith shell for enhanced radiation and micrometeorite shielding. The closed loop ecological system would support a sustainable presence on the Moon with particular focus on research activities.The construction method for SinterHab is based on 3D printing by sintering of the lunar regolith. Sinterator robotics 3D printing technology proposed by NASA JPL enables construction of future generations of large lunar settlements with little imported material and the use of solar energy. The regolith is processed, placed and sintered by a the Sinterator robotics system which combines the NASA ATHLETE and the Chariot remotely controlled rovers. Microwave sintering creates a rigid structure in the form of walls, vaults and other architectural elements. The interior is coated with a layer of inflatable membranes inspired by the TransHab project.

3D printing technology is rapidly maturing and becoming ubiquitous. One of the remaining obstacles to wide-scale adoption is that the object to be printed must fit into the working volume of the 3D printer. We propose a framework, called Chopper, to decompose a large 3D object into smaller parts so that each part fits into the printing volume. These parts can then be assembled to form the original object. We formulate a number of desirable criteria for the partition, including assemblability, having few components, unobtrusiveness of the seams, and structural soundness. Chopper optimizes these criteria and generates a partition either automatically or with user guidance. Our prototype outputs the final decomposed parts with customized connectors on the interfaces. We demonstrate the effectiveness of Chopper on a variety of non-trivial real-world objects.

Figulo 3D prints ceramics for consumers, artists and businesses. We are revolutionizing the design and production of ceramic objects.

Who We Are

Figulo Corporation is a manufacturer of custom designed ceramics made using advanced materials and 3D printing technology.

Our Vision & Lightbulb Moment

I was at an engineering conference and an artist spoke about the difficulty of realizing her digital art. I realized that we could do this using 3D printing.

Our Product/Service, The Problem We're Solving

Figulo changes the design parameters for ceramics and frees the designer from the constraints of the mold and potters wheel. We have developed a unique 3d printing technology that redefines the way that ceramics are made. We open the world of ceramics to anyone with a computer, a design and access to the internet.

What We've Done So Far

We have created a 3D printing manufacturing facility in South Boston where we print, fire and glaze ceramic objects for customers all over the world. We have a staff of dedicated 3D printing experts and ceramic artists, where we work at the intersection of engineering and art.

Our Business Model - How We Make Money

We manufacture uniquely designed, functional, decorative, custom ceramic objects from our own collection and from files uploaded to our website and other channels. We sell these designs directly to consumers and businesses.

Why We're Raising Funds

We are raising funds to expand our marketing efforts and outreach to consumers and develop next generation of the 3D printing manufacturing process.

Meanwhile on industrial side of things, they are making some serious hardware. And hire some hot presenters.

From the sales pitch:

The Objet1000 is Objet's largest ever 3D printer. With a build platform
of 1000 x 800 x 500 mm (39 x 31 x 20 inch), the system enables
designers, engineers and manufacturers to quickly and easily create
large and very precise models for prototyping parts and products in
automotive, defense, aerospace, consumer goods, household appliances and
industrial machinery sectors. The system features Objet Connex
multi-material technology offering standard and ABS plastic performance,
a choice of over 100 materials and the ability to mix up to 14
different materials in a single prototype or model to achieve the true
look, feel and function of your intended end product.

Nov 27, 2012

I don't know who this guys are but they have a sweet setup. Twelve Ultimakers in a farm printing at very high speed, controlled on mobile phone (possibly web interface) and automatic removal of finished models. Cool.

Update: I gave it a short test. In my latest version of Firefox it failed to load file, probably a bug on my side. It works perfectly in Chrome. It still needs more simulated printers and print materials. Great tool!

Here is a new design concept and printer prototype the Delta Forge. It looks similar to Rostock Deltas but with some twists, solutions, with less electronics and no steppers. It is still in development and testing phase.

Nov 25, 2012

Jarkko Moilanen didn't want to carry PC and printer together so he merged them. He can now control his Ultimaker with old Win 7 Exo PC tablet (UltiController), download models, slice them and listen music, and everything is built in as one unit. Ingenious idea! I can see this as new standard for 3d printers. There is enough cheep tablets floating around. He states that slicing is somewhat slow, but I think it can be solved with some optimization on software side.

And it is LOW-cost! Priced at 480$ it is very affordable as entry in 3d printing world.

From the product page:

The Portabee has been the first
conveniently portable 3D printer in the world. It is easily collapsible
in a matter of seconds and fits into a laptop bag, making it
transportable 'on-the-go' - bring it along with you when taking a bus, a
train... even on a bicycle in a haversack on your back! And since it's
lightweight - weighing in at 2.8kg (6.2lbs) - you can bring it around
anywhere with you!

And with a slightly larger 'laptop
luggage' style bag, you can put the Portabee into the same bag as your
laptop computer, along with some feedstock filament, power supplies for
both devices (the Portabee uses a laptop-type power supply), some
instant coffee sachets, cookies... you get the idea.

The Portabee opens up numerous
possibilities which were previously impractical - designers and design
engineers can now offer to print out a sample of their design solution
at the client's premises, on the spot and with applied design changes,
for quick evaluation. Educators can loan Portabees to students for a
time period to complete a school assignment involving 3D printing, be it
an arts, design, or engineering discipline. An artist can walk into her
favourite cafe, suddenly get in a creative mood, whip out the Portabee
and a laptop and start designing something and print it out, all while
sipping her usual cuppa and enjoying some cheesecake.

The Portabee is available as an unassembled kit form with a colour
illustrated step-by-step assembly guide. Assembled and tested Portabee
3D Printers are also available.

Excellent mini tutorial by youtube user maxamillionschnell on how to restore and repair 3d printed model bottom surface that has white "ugly" finish on it. If you use acetone on it it will be shiny, and not to mention that acetone is toxic. He uses heat gun to get rid of white stuff and get nice mate finish.

Nov 21, 2012

Here is a cheap volumetirc 3d display you can make with your 3d printer and Dremel tool. It still needs some development, but I think most of the parts could be 3d printed. Cheep 3d projection device. Very cool!

This is an automatic transmission model I designed and 3D printed (you can download the design here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:34778).
This type of gearing arrangement is common in automatic transmissions
in cars, though the clutches and brakes and hydraulics that control them
are far more complex than modeled here. Also missing is the torque
converter.

These gears are known as herringbone, which are not
generally found in real transmissions because they are too difficult to
machine. However, they are easy to print, and they have the advantage of
being self-centering.

Bismuth alloy casting a metal model in 3d printed plastic mold and then dissolving the mold in acetone. There are some safety issues, so check guidelines before doing it yourself.http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:26500

Nov 11, 2012

This video shows the real potential of 3d printing technology. It is refurbished old industrial robot upgraded with 3d printing extruder which uses recycled plastic waste. It prints usable furniture out of garbage. Possibilities for this concept are enormous. You can scale it up for large waste centers, or scale it down for home use.

The DIWire Bender is a rapid prototype machine that bends metal wire to produce 2D or 3D shapes. Wire unwinds from a spool, passes through a series of wheels that straighten it, and then feeds through the bending head, which moves around in 3 dimensions to create the desired bends and curves. Vector files (e.g., Adobe Illustrator files), text files of commands (e.g., feed 50 mm, bend 90° to right…) provide DIWire’s instructions.

It’s essentially a 3D printer that describes lines, instead of volumes, in space, and it could be used for anything from prototypes to customized products.

Created by cathalgarvey, Dremelfuge enables you to use 3d printed part in combination with Dremel to use it as high speed centrifuge. It is for standard microcentrifuge tubes and miniprep columns. It is licensed under Open Source Hardware license.

Nov 10, 2012

Very practical and ingenious design by PrettySmallThings.
It is 3d printed bendable purse/container/wallet/pen box. You print out the parts and assemble them in few simple steps. I think I'll print one out for my girlfriend

Nov 7, 2012

Ok, it looks like science fiction NOW. Or not. I don't know any more. Interfacing thoughts and 3d printing surely makes you go (to quote one commentator of this video): SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY NOW!!!!!

Nov 6, 2012

Injection-Molded
Plastic Parts
All of the molded parts have molded-in inserts
that eliminate a lot of complication and extra hardware (no nuts to tighten!). This allows the printer to be assembled
quickly and provide consistency in manufacturing, making your printer more
accurate. New
Head Design
We have taken components that we have liked
from other designs and combined them to create our complete head design. The cold end and the hot end combine to
make a functioning and simple to put together head. X-Axis
Movement
A gear on rack design controls the movement in
the x-axis; this means there are no belts or pulleys, simplifying the assembly
as well as eliminating calibration.
Y-Axis
Movement
A uniquely designed motor mount allows both
sides of the motor to control movement in the Y-Axis. This ensures that the build tray will move evenly back and
forth.Z-Axis
Movement
We use ACME threaded rods and screws with two
nema 17 motors wired in parallel.
One of the challenges is getting the Z-Axis to home to the build tray at
the right level. We have designed
a special clip that snaps onto the Z-Axis rod, which fixes this problem making
it simple to calibrate.Heated Build
Tray
With a heated build tray, you can build PLA or ABS
plastic without warping. It is very
easy to level with four screws, one on each corner. Together with easy leveling and the Z-Axis clip you can have
your build tray homed and leveled without getting frustrated.Snap-in
Roller Bearings
The L5 printer uses 12 roller bearings to give
it the smoothest movement in the X Y and Z-axis. Great
Design
We wanted a printer that not only prints well,
but also looks great. A printer
that would be a conversation piece that looked good on an office desk, in your
home or at school. We went through
many design iterations until we found a design we felt was clean and
simple. A design that was inspired
by speedboats and sexy cars.

Nov 1, 2012

Great video of Printrbot speed build by youtube user HammerFET. In ten minutes you will see in detail how his Printrbot is build from scratch to fully operational. It has xbox power supply and few other customized parts.
Video description is: